1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to rotary head assemblies and, more particularly, is directed to improved rotary head assemblies for recording and/or reproducing video or other information signals on magnetic recording tape which is wrapped about at least a portion of the periphery of a tape guide drum with which each rotary head assembly is associated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been proposed, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 566,539, filed Apr. 9, 1975, and having a common assignee herewith, to provide a rotary head assembly associated with a tape guide drum in a video signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus, as aforesaid, in which the head member or transducer is movable generally in the radial direction in respect to the tape guide drum, and the centrifugal movement of the head member or transducer is yieldably resisted by resilient support elements with a view to ensuring adequate contact of the head member or transducer with the surface of the tape wrapped about the guide drum in response to the movement of the rotary head assembly in a circular path concentric with the guide drum. In the existing rotary head assemblies as specifically disclosed in the above identified application, a generally U-shaped frame having a pair of spaced apart arms is mounted for movement in a circular path concentric with the guide drum with the free end portions of the frame arms extending generally radially outward in respect to the center of such path, and the head member which generally includes a mounting plate with a head chip extending from an end thereof is disposed between the spaced apart frame arms with substantial clearance therebetween, while the resilient support elements are in the form of elongated spring members extending substantially parallel to each other between the frame arms and being secured intermediate such arms to the mounting plate of the head member. The elongated spring members are constituted either by thin spring wires or spring strips which are secured under tension to the spaced apart frame arms. It will be apparent that the yieldable resistance to centrifugal movement of the head member is determined by the tension in the elongated spring members when secured to the spaced apart frame arms. However, in practice, considerable difficulty is encountered in providing a standard tension in the elongated spring members when secured to the frame arms, and also in effecting the attachment of the elongated spring members to the frame arms and to the mounting plate of the head member.